Our promise to you is that this child will receive an indescribable amount of love from us and our family/friends. We have both always dreamed of being parents. Our lives revolve around our niece, nephews and our dogs. The amount of love we have for them and the lengths we go to spoil them speaks volumes about how much we would love your child. We promise to encourage their interests and provide every opportunity possible. We promise to protect them, but to allow them to be their own person. We promise to give this child the happiest childhood possible, filled with doting family, plenty of cousins and lots of vacations and adventures.

Overall, we promise to give this child unconditional love, emotional and financial support, a safe and stable home and a good education.

Most importantly, we promise this child will always know how much you love them. We will openly talk about the adoption from day one and will make sure they understand that you chose adoption because you love them so much and want the best. We also promise that, if you choose to do so, you will always be a part of their life.

We have known each other for about 25 years, and it began as a friendship which we believe is such an important foundation for our relationship.

We knew that we wanted to be together after seeing how much fun we had together, playing with the dogs, going to concerts, singing karaoke in our living room and just making each other laugh.

Melissa loves Chris's sense of humor and his supportive, caring nature. He is always prepared with a hug, flowers or some other way to improve a bad day- and often for no reason at all. Melissa knew she was in love after spending more time with Chris's family and friends and seeing how important they are to him. She shares that sentiment and he showed the same loyalty and dedication to her family and friends.

Chris loves Melissa's bubbly personality and sense of humor. She is also very compassionate, fiercely devoted, and always reliable. He admires how caring and considerate of other people (and animals) she is. He respects how driven and determined she is to achieve her goals in life.

We have an unbelievable amount in common, but plenty of differences to challenge each other, which we love. Melissa is more outgoing- and sometimes a little bit bossy. Chris is quieter and more reserved but knows when to draw the line, like when Melissa tries to adopt more animals.

Melissa's parents own a house at the beach, approximately an hour from where we live. The community is gated and very safe. It offers an endless list of activities for children. There are two beautiful pools, three playgrounds and an ice cream stand. The small lake is home to a family of turtles that love to be fed by the local kids. Melissa's mom keeps a jar of turtle food on hand for the kids. The waterfront restaurant in the development is just down the street and has year round activities, including fairs, fireworks, Easter egg hunts, tree lightings and live music. The closest beach is on the bay, also a block away, and is private for the community members. The golf cart is the perfect way to zip over there with plenty of toys and rafts, and the kids love the ride. Because that particular beach is on the bay, the water is extremely calm and safe, perfect for swimming, sandcastles and searching for seashells.

Nearby, there are also several other family-friendly beach towns, offering ocean-front beaches, boardwalks, shopping, arcades and restaurants. Melissa's parents keep the house stocked with games and toys, so even on a rainy day, it's still our niece and nephews' favorite vacation spot.

Chris's family also owns a farm in West Virginia. The house was built by his great -grandfather and great-great grandfather and the 400 acres of land is an amazing place for the kids to experience nature. The family vacations there often together.

Our home is located in Delaware, in the town where we both grew up and attended school. The town has gotten much larger but still maintains the small town feel from when we were kids. Annual events include carnivals, festivals, fireworks, tree lightings and caroling at the holidays and multiple parades. The town's parade route begins on the road bordering our development and passes right in front of Melissa's childhood home, where her parents still live. Chris's parents also live only a couple of miles away in his childhood home. Both sets of parents have beautiful in-ground pools where we have family gatherings all summer long. There are multiple playgrounds and entertainment centers throughout town, including a playground on our street. There is also an abundance of camp options, from the Y, to a Children's Theater Workshop at the local historic theater. The town has a very large and diverse youth sports program as well. Having grown up here (and moved back in our late 20s), we have many lifelong friends with children/playmates to grow up with this child, as well as a niece and several nephews.

Our home is a single family house with two stories and four bedrooms. We have a fenced in backyard, where our dogs love to play. The neighborhood is extremely quiet and safe and there are many children. The bus stop is conveniently located across the street and the school district is one of the best in the state.

Chris's parents, siblings and nephews live just a few miles away and Melissa's parents and sister live right down the road from us. Her brother lives right across the state line with his wife and their children. We also both have very present extended family, as well as a close knit circle of lifelong friends (with many children), who we consider family.

Collectively, we have one niece and four nephews and they are a very big part of our lives. Our families spend a lot of time together, including beach/pool days, vacations, trips to shows and museums, and of course every holiday and birthday. Our favorite celebrations are when we have both sides together. Chris's oldest nephew and Melissa's nephew are best friends and the littlest ones adore our 10 year old niece Aly.

Words can't express the incredible support system we have in these people and we're so grateful to have them. Throughout the journey that led us to adoption, they've been there for us in every capacity. Now, as we navigate this process, they are so invested and excited. Everyone is eager to be involved and help and it's clear this child has an abundance of love and support even before they enter our life.

We firstly want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for allowing us this opportunity and for taking the time to learn about us. We cannot imagine the courage it has taken you to choose adoption, but we do know the decision was made purely out of love. Your choice is selfless and beautiful. Without you, we would never be able to fulfill our lifelong dream of becoming parents and we are so grateful.

We have been married for about two years and together for five, but we have been close friends for 25 years. We have spent the last several years, in addition to Melissa's attempts prior to our relationship, receiving fertility treatments. The treatments resulted in many losses and heartache, but one day it dawned on us that our fertility struggle is a sign that we're meant to adopt. We have already dedicated so many years trying to become parents. We can't express how much we look forward to being able to give that love and energy to an actual child, not just the idea of the child. The journey that led us here has made us so much more appreciative of this opportunity to complete our family.

Throughout everything that has led us here, we do have a life that we are truly grateful for. We both come from amazingly supportive families. Both sides are beyond excited to welcome a new child. They all live close to us and are a big part of our daily lives. This child would be surrounded by loving grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, who are already daydreaming about playdates and trips together. We also have a tight circle of friends, all with children ranging from newborns to high schoolers, who can't wait to add another "cousin" to their group.

Our community is a beautiful, quaint town on the Northeast coast, filled with family friendly activities, programs and businesses. We're also close enough to beaches and several major cities for day trips and vacations. There are playgrounds, libraries, theaters and pools. We both grew up here so, in addition to our families, we're surrounded by many lifelong friends who chose to settle here also. The school district is considered the best in the state, and there are also many private schools in the area to choose from.

You can normally find us playing with our dogs, Oliver and Bowie, listening to music while grilling in our backyard, or spending a fun afternoon with our niece and nephews. We can't wait to share our love of animals, music and the beach with a child.

If you choose us for the honor of raising your child, we will talk about you often and he/she will never doubt the love you have for them. We will of course provide letter and picture updates on a regular basis. We understand the complexity of emotions that you must be experiencing, but please know that we'd love for you to have more open contact and remain in touch as much as you would like.

With love and gratitude,

Chris & Melissa